The present invention relates to sewing. In particular, the invention relates to particular styles of sewing that incorporate decorative stitching such as quilting. A quilt is a type of blanket typically having three layers: a decorative top layer, a middle layer of insulating material, and a backing layer. “Quilting” refers to the technique of joining these layers by stitches or ties.
Traditional quilting was done by hand and was very labor intensive. The invention of the sewing machine changed that. Quilting evolved from production of functional blankets by specialized artisans into a popular hobby enjoyed by many.
Modern quilts are typically made using a long-armed sewing machine, or stitcher, attached to a frame. The frame supports and holds the workpiece in place while the sewing machine moves along the frame with respect to the workpiece. A typical quilting apparatus illustrating the relationship between the workpiece, frame, and sewing machine is shown in US Patent Pub. No. 2013/0190916.
A common way to quilt today is to use what is known as pantograph patterns. Pantographs are a way to “trace” a pre-printed stitch pattern with the machine in order to stitch that pattern onto the fabric. This allows very consistent work to be completed with a much lower skill level required versus traditional hand-guided stitching alone.
This is normally accomplished by mounting a paper pattern on the rear of the table supporting the frame and workpiece. A laser pointer may be mounted to the stitcher head. The operator may set up the needle/thread at the front of the machine, and operate the stitcher from the rear of the machine. Handles may be provided at the rear of the machine head to allow the operator to move the head from the rear of the table. By “tracing” the paper pattern with the laser dot, the operator is able to reproduce the patterns from the paper template to the fabric being sewn. Normally, these rear handles are mounted on opposing sides of the head. The user grips the handles by reaching “around” the machine.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are representative of prior art long-armed sewing machine heads 10. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rear portion of a long-armed sewing machine head 10 (hereinafter referred to simply as head 10), and FIG. 2 illustrates a rear view of the same head 10.
Head 10 may be used in conjunction with a table including frames used to stretch and hold the fabric to be quilted, as taught in US Patent Pub. No. 2013/0190916. FIG. 1 illustrates the rear portion of a head 10. The other side of head 10 is not illustrated, where the needle and thread are preferably located, and stitching takes place. A laser (not illustrated) may be attached to the top surface of head 10 such that it points downwardly at a table including a pantograph pattern located in front of a quilt on rollers of a table. Thus an operator of a sewing machine similar to head 10 may use handles such as handles 20 to move head 10 such that the dot or other projection produced by the laser traces the pattern of the pantograph in front of the quilt.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, handles 20 are mounted on opposing sides of the head 10. In operation, when an operator is tracing the pantograph pattern with the laser dot, head 10 moves such that it reproduces the same pattern projected by the dot or other projection, ensuring that the needle and thread at the front portion of head 10 is reproducing the pantograph pattern in its stitches on the quilt or other textile, in order to either see the laser dot tracing the pantograph pattern or to see that the needle and thread are functioning properly and generating the correct pattern, an operator must lean to one side or the other of head 10, which may generate a strain on the operator's neck and/or back.
Head 10 includes a number of components that are recognizable to those skilled in the art. Head 10 includes cone holders 30, 35 which preferably may be semi-permanently or permanently mounted to each handle 20. Cone holders 30, 35 of the illustrated embodiments are known in the art for holding large cones of thread used in making a quilt (small horizontal spool holders for holding smaller spools of thread are not illustrated). Cone holders 30, 35 are substantially similarly sized and shaped, and cone holders 30, 35 are preferably in substantial alignment with one another. Prior art head 10 further includes a back hand wheel 40 for manually raising and lowering the needle. Head 10 also includes a belt guard 50 for shielding fingers, hair, jewelry, and other objects from getting caught in the motor belt. As FIG. 2 illustrates, head 10 may further include a thread guide 60 for controlling thread extending from a large cone of thread associated with cone holder 30 as it extends to the needle associated with the front portion of head 10. Head 10 may further include other components known throughout the art including a plug for providing power to a mounted laser, thread and tension guides, and, light and power switches (not illustrated).
The conventional handle configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has several shortcomings. The user is not positioned in an ergonomically optimal position because the configuration of the handles does not allow for the user to stand upright and view the pattern and laser dot directly in front of them. Rather, the user must lean to the left to see the pattern and laser dot. In addition, it is not possible to see the needle during stitching as the user is placed almost directly behind the machine. The location of the handles also necessarily positions the user within close proximity of moving parts of the stitcher, which may pose safety risks.